JP5792736B2 - Dynamically bioactive bone graft material with artificially created porosity - Google Patents

Description

<Cross-reference of related applications>
The present invention relates to US Provisional Application No. 61 / 389,964, filed October 5, 2010 under the name “Dynamic Bioactive Bone Grafting Material and Methods of Use” and 2009 under the name “Bone Grafting Material” Claims priority based on US Provisional Application No. 61 / 256,287, filed Oct. 29, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. This application also claims priority under US Provisional Application No. 61 / 127,172, filed May 12, 2008, under the name “Dynamic Bioactive Nanofiber Scaffold”. Related to co-pending US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 437,531, filed on Jan. 7.

<Technical field>
The present disclosure generally relates to bone graft materials and methods of using the materials. In particular, the present disclosure relates to dynamic bioactive synthetic bone graft materials having engineered porosity, implants formed from the materials, and uses thereof.

  Improved bone graft materials have been continually needed. Known autograft materials have acceptable physical and biological properties and exhibit a structure suitable for bone growth. However, the use of autograft bones requires the patient to perform multiple or extensive surgeries, resulting in increased time to keep the patient under anesthesia, considerable pain, complications and It leads to an increased risk of other infectious diseases and the morbidity of the donor site.

  Alternatively, allograft devices can be used for bone grafting. Allograft devices are fabricated from donor bone. Allograft devices have the added benefit of having the right structure and reducing patient risk and pain, but also result in increased risk resulting from infection transmission and the possibility of rejection. Autograft and allograft devices are further limited in terms of shape and dimensional variations.

  Unfortunately, since autograft and allograft devices are manufactured from harvested natural materials, their quality varies inherently. Similarly, autograft supplies are also limited by how much bone they can safely remove from the patient, and the amount will be severely limited if they are seriously ill or weak.

  A wide variety of synthetic bone graft materials are currently available. In recent years, new materials such as bioactive glass (“BAG”) particulate materials, for example, have become increasingly feasible as an alternative or supplement to natural bone derived implants. These new (non-bone derived) materials have the advantage of avoiding harvesting procedures for painful and inherently risky patients. In addition, the use of materials that are not derived from bone can reduce the risk of infection transmission. Similar to autograft and allograft devices, these new artificial materials can function as osteoconductive scaffolds that promote bone regeneration. Preferably, the graft material is resorbable and eventually replaces the new bone tissue.

Many artificial bone grafts available today contain materials that have properties similar to natural bone, such as, for example, compositions containing calcium phosphate. A typical calcium phosphate composition comprises type B carbonated hydroxyapatite (Ca ₅ (PO ₄ ) _3x (CO ₃ ) _x (OH)). Calcium phosphate ceramics have been prepared and implanted in mammals in a variety of forms including, but not limited to, molded bodies and cement. Other stoichiometric compositions such as hydroxyapatite (HA), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP), and other calcium phosphate (CAP) salts and minerals are all natural bone indications Used to match sex, biocompatibility, structure and strength. While calcium phosphate-based materials are widely accepted, they lack the ease of handling, flexibility, and ability to function as a liquid carrier / storage medium necessary for use in a wide range of clinical applications. The calcium phosphate material is inherently hard and is generally provided as part of a mixture with a carrier material to facilitate handling. Such mixtures typically have an active calcium phosphate ingredient to carrier ratio of about 50:50 and may be as low as 10:90.

  The role of porosity, pore size and pore size distribution in promoting bone revascularization, fracture healing, and bone remodeling has been recognized as important factors for the success of bone graft materials. However, currently available bone graft materials still lack the essential chemical and physical properties required for an ideal graft material. For example, currently available bone graft materials tend to be absorbed too quickly, while some bone graft materials take too long to be absorbed due to the chemical composition and structure of the material. For example, some materials formed from hydroxyapatite take too long to be absorbed, while materials formed from calcium sulfide or B-TCP tend to be absorbed too quickly. Furthermore, if the porosity of the material is too high (eg, about 90%), the substrate remaining after resorption occurs may not be sufficient to support bone conduction. Conversely, if the porosity of the material is too low (eg 30%), too much material must be absorbed, resulting in longer resorption rates. Furthermore, excess material means that there may not be enough space left in the remaining transplant material due to cell wetting. On the other hand, the implant material is too soft and the various physical pressures applied during clinical use may cause the liquid retained in the implant material to be lost.

  Thus, there remains a need for improved bone graft materials that provide the necessary biomaterials, structure, and clinical handling required for optimal bone grafting. What is further needed is a dynamic bioactive bone graft material that can provide an improved actuation mechanism for bone grafting so that the formation of new tissue can be achieved through physiological processes rather than simply from a template. Similarly, there remains a need for artificial bone graft materials that can be manufactured to have varying levels of pores, such as nano, micro, meso and macro porosity, if desired. In addition, it provides a material that can be easily molded or shaped into clinically relevant shapes required for different surgical and anatomical applications, while at the same time differential or stepwise There remains a need for bone graft materials that can be selectively constructed and structured to have (staged) resorbability. In particular, it includes various degrees of porosity, differential bioresorbability, compression resistance and radioopacity characteristics, and further maximizes the content of active ingredients for carrier materials such as collagen It would be highly desirable to provide a bone graft material that makes it. More desirably, it is a bone graft material that has all of the advantages described above and that not only allows for drug delivery that can be easily handled in a clinical setting, but also has antibacterial properties. Let's go. The disclosed embodiments of the present invention address these and other needs.

  The present disclosure provides bioactive bone graft materials with engineered porosity, as well as implants formed from such materials and uses thereof. These bone graft materials are dynamic and can therefore be molded and molded as desired. These bone grafting materials address the above unmet needs by providing the biomaterials, structures, and clinical handling necessary for optimal bone grafting. In addition, these bone graft materials provide an improved actuation mechanism for bone grafting so that new tissue formation can be achieved through a physiological process of induction and formation rather than simply from templates and replacements. To do. In addition, these artificial bone grafts can be manufactured to have various levels of pores, such as nano, micro, meso and macropores, if desired. Bone graft materials can be easily molded or molded into clinically relevant shapes required for different surgical and anatomical applications while at the same time being selective to have differential or graded absorbency Can be configured and structured. In addition, these bone graft materials may have varying degrees of porosity, differential bioabsorbability, compression resistance and radiopacity, for example, the content of active ingredients relative to a carrier material such as collagen. It can also be maximized. These bone graft materials also have antibacterial properties as well as enabling drug delivery. These materials can also be easily handled in a clinical context.

  In one embodiment, a bone graft material is provided having bioactive glass fibers disposed in a porous matrix that can be molded into a desired shape for implantation. The material is substantially free of additives and can include at least one nanofiber. The porous matrix may comprise a combination of one or more pore sizes including nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores.

  In another embodiment, a bone graft implant comprising a matrix, wherein the matrix includes a plurality of interlocking bioactive glass fibers within the bioactive glass fibers. Bone graft implants are provided having distributed pores based on a range of pores provided. The dispersed pores can include macropores, mesopores, and micropores, and the matrix can be shaped into a desired shape for implantation into a patient. The dispersed pores can include nanopores.

  In yet another embodiment, a method for treating a bone defect is provided. The method includes identifying the bone defect to be treated. The bone defect may be present in a human patient. The next step includes providing a bone graft material comprising a porous fibrous base material comprised of bioactive glass fibers, wherein the fibers are characterized by a fiber diameter ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 100 micrometers. And the pores of the matrix range from about 100 nanometers to about 1 millimeter. The bone graft material can be shaped into an implant that is subsequently introduced into the bone defect and can generate osteogenic activity in the bone defect to promote bone repair.

  Prior to introducing the bone graft material, the material may be molded or molded, such as by filling a mold tray with the material. If necessary, the material may be compressed in a mold tray. Prior to introduction into the mold tray, a liquid may be added to the material. The liquid may be saline or a naturally occurring body fluid such as blood. The bone graft material may be differentially activated. For example, the porous fiber matrix may include a combination of bioabsorbable subcomponents having different absorption rates. The subcomponent may include fibers or particles, or a combination of both. In certain embodiments, the matrix may include one or more fibers, and each fiber may have a different absorption rate. Fast-absorbing fibers may be absorbed after the introduction process to induce strong initial bone growth. The remaining base material may be designed to remain at that site for an extended period of time so that it can grow slowly over a long period of time.

  The bone graft material may be injected into the defect or may be plastered into the defect. Furthermore, the material may be packed in the defect.

  The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates by reviewing the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Will be.

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a dynamic fibrous bioactive glass preform according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the base material of FIG. 1A. 2A is a perspective view of a first porous structure formed from the fibrous bioactive glass matrix of FIG. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a second porous structure formed from the fibrous bioactive glass matrix of FIG. FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a third porous structure formed from the fibrous bioactive glass matrix of FIG. FIG. 3A is a diagram of a dynamic bioactive glass matrix having both fibers and particles, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the base material of FIG. 3A. FIG. 4A is an exemplary representation according to the present disclosure having an organized parallel fiber array by descending fiber layers in a crossed directional relationship to alternating fiber layers. 1 is a view of a bioactive glass fiber bone graft material. FIG. FIG. 4B is a diagram of an exemplary bioactive glass fiber bone graft material within a randomly arranged spun-glass structure containing bioactive glass particles. FIG. 4C is configured as a mesh by descending fiber layers arranged to have different degrees of porosity relative to the previous fiber layer, thereby providing cell filter functionality. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a typical bioactive glass fiber bone graft material. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a packaging container according to an embodiment of a medical kit of the present disclosure. FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 5A including a fibrous bioactive bone graft material placed in a kit. FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the bone graft material of FIG. 5B removed from the kit. FIG. 6A graphically illustrates the volume contribution of an embodiment of a bone graft material based on pore size distribution. FIG. 6B graphically illustrates the surface area contribution of an embodiment of a bone graft material based on pore size distribution. FIG. 7 shows time-lapse micrographs after 1 day and 3 days of the fibers of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a time-lapse micrograph after 3 days of the fiber of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a series of time-lapse micrographs showing the cell growth characteristics of the fibers of the disclosed embodiments at various time intervals. FIG. 10 shows a graph of osteoblast proliferation at various time intervals shown during testing of the fibers of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows micrographs of fibers seeded with mesenchymal stem cells. FIG. 12 shows a series of X-ray images at various time intervals from tests conducted in mammals to compare the performance of bone graft material embodiments to other materials. FIG. 13 shows a graphical comparison of new bone growth at various time intervals shown by the bone graft material embodiment and the other materials of FIG. FIG. 14 shows a graphical comparison of the residual material remaining over time with the bone graft material embodiment and the other materials of FIG. 12 at various time intervals.

  The standard method for healing natural tissue with synthetic materials has been to provide devices with the desired final product microstructure and macrostructure. Where the desired end product is cancellous bone, conventional bone graft materials have been artificially created to mimic the structure of the cancellous bone. While this was the current standard for bone grafting, it does not take into account the fact that bone is a living tissue (or living tissue). Each trabecular bone is constantly undergoing active biologic remodeling in response to loading, stress and / or damage. Furthermore, cancellous and cortical bone can support a vast network of blood vessels. This network not only delivers nutrients to maintain the biological environment around the bone, but also supports the red blood cells and bone marrow necessary for basic biological functions. Therefore, simply providing a non-biologic synthetic material with the same structure is not sufficient for optimal bone healing and bone health. Instead, what is needed is a mechanism that can reconstruct bone anatomy.

  Conventional composites act as a cast or template for normal bone tissue to organize and form. Since these compounds do not occur naturally, the mold or template must ultimately be absorbed to allow normal bone to develop. If these structured compounds are not resorbed and proper bone healing is not possible, they will not only be an obstacle to bone healing, but also a mere foreign body that can be harmful. . This phenomenon has been observed in many studies with compounds that are slowly or not absorbed. Since these composites are just inert abiotic structures that resemble bones, they act as mechanical blocks for normal bone healing and development.

  With the understanding that bone is a living biological tissue and inactive structures only prevent bone healing, a different physiological approach is presented by the present invention. Healing is a phasic process that begins with several initial reactions. Each phase is based on the reaction that occurred in the previous phase. Only after one or more successive phases will the final development of the end product-the bone occur. Traditional methods have replaced or in some way stimulated healing by placing an inert end product as a catalyst to the healing process. This premature action clearly does not take into account the physiological processes of bone development and healing.

  The physiological process of bone healing can be divided into three phases: (a) inflammation, (b) osteogenesis, and (c) remodeling. Inflammation is the initial response to injury and becomes a natural catalyst by providing a chemotactic factor that initiates the healing process. Osteogenesis is the next phase in which osteoblasts react and begin to produce osteoids, the basic material of bone. Remodeling is the final phase, where osteoclasts and bone cells reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of bone.

In a normal tissue repair process, in the first phase, a fibrin clot is formed that provides a fibrous structure for cells to attach. This is the basis for the healing of all connective tissue (connective tissu e). That is the fibrous structure that allows direct cell attachment and intercellular connectivity. Ultimately, the goal is to stimulate cell proliferation and bone formation in the early healing phase so that physiological remodeling occurs. Since the desired end product is a living tissue, not an inert scaffold, the main goal is to increase the number of living fibers as possible by enhancing the natural fiber network involved in initiation and bone formation. To stimulate the bones.

  The bone graft material of the present disclosure seeks to reproduce the normal physiological healing process by presenting the fibrous structure of the fibrotic mass. Because this bioactive material formed from fibers is both osteoconductive and osteostimulative, this fibrous network will further enhance and accelerate bone induction. In addition, the dynamic nature of the bioactive fiber material or scaffold allows for a natural initiation and stimulation of bone formation rather than placing a non-biological template that prevents final bone formation like current implant materials. The fibers of the material of the present invention can be engineered to provide known chemical reactions known to selectively stimulate osteoblast proliferation or other cell phenotypes.

The present disclosure provides bone graft materials and bone graft implants formed from those materials. These bone graft materials provide the bioactivity, structure, and clinical handling necessary for optimal bone grafting. Furthermore, these bone graft materials provide an improved actuation mechanism for bone grafting so that the formation of new tissue can be achieved through a physiological process, not simply from a template.
In addition, these artificial bone graft materials can be manufactured to have various levels of pores, such as nano, micro, meso and macropores, if desired. Bone graft materials can be easily molded or molded into the clinically relevant shapes required for different surgical and anatomical applications, while at the same time being selected for differential or graded absorbency Can be structured and structured in an automated manner. In addition, these bone graft materials may have varying degrees of porosity, differential bioabsorbability, compression resistance and radiopacity, for example, the content of active ingredients relative to a carrier material such as collagen. It can also be maximized. These bone graft materials also have antibacterial properties as well as enabling drug delivery. These materials can also be easily handled in a clinical context.

  In embodiments of the present disclosure, dynamic, eg, ultraporous bone graft materials having nano, micro, meso, and macropores may be used. The bone graft material can include bioactive (“BAG”) fibers or a combination of BAG fibers and material particles. Due to the size and length of the fibers, the bone graft material becomes a dynamic structure that can be molded or packed into the desired shape while maintaining its porous structure. The bone graft material may be osteoconductive and / or bone stimulating. By altering the diameter and chemical composition of the components used in the embodiment, the bone graft material may have differential activation (ie, resorbability), thereby allowing drugs containing antibiotics An advantageous function such as delivery may be facilitated. In addition, the nature of the bone graft fibers allows stimulation and induction of the natural bone healing process required for bone formation.

  Embodiments of the bone graft material can include relatively small diameter BAG fibers, particularly less than 100 nanometers in diameter. In some embodiments, the fiber diameter can be less than 10 nanometers, and in other embodiments, the fiber diameter can be about 5 nanometers. Since the material used in the embodiment is a bioactive material, the bone graft material may form a CaP layer on its surface when interacting with bodily fluids.

  In another embodiment, the bone graft material may include particles in combination with fibers. The presence of particulate material may be utilized not only to provide mechanical strength and compression resistance, but also to alter or control the resorption rate and resorption profile of the bone graft material. The particles may be bioactive glass, calcium sulfide, calcium phosphate, or hydroxyapatite. The particles may be solid or hollow.

  The bone graft material may be moldable and can be packaged in a functional mold for easy clinical use. Furthermore, the bone graft material can be mixed with other additives such as collagen, for example, to make it easier to handle. The mixture of bone graft material and collagen may be in the form of a foam, and the foam may be further formed into a strip, a rolled sheet, a sponge or a plug. However, it is understood that the foam may take any form having various shapes and dimensions. Further, the bone graft material and collagen mixture may take the form of a putty or other moldable material. For example, in certain embodiments, BAG fibers and particles can be mixed with a collagen slurry, poured into a mold of the desired shape, and frozen to obtain the desired foam shape. In other embodiments, depending on the type with collagen, the foam can have a fixed shape, or the foam can contain a liquid such as saline, blood or bone marrow aspirate. It may be added to change into putty. Alternatively, the bone graft material may be in the form of an injectable material.

  The putty can be manufactured by combining the bone graft material with other additives such as CMC, hyaluronic acid, or sodium alginate. Since the putty can be applied directly to the injured site by injection or application, the material can be easily used by providing the bone graft material in the form of the putty. In addition, the ease of handling and moldability of the putty mixture allows the clinician to easily and quickly form the desired shape.

  Reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Nonetheless, it is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure of the present invention, and alternatives or further variations of the illustrated device and further uses of the disclosed principles of the present invention illustrated therein It will be understood that this would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art related to the present disclosure.

  The present disclosure discloses a composition that can be manufactured in a wide variety of compositions and structural forms for the purpose of introducing a biocompatible, bioresorbable structural matrix into the shape of a bone repair or treatment implant. It relates to a bone graft material. The bone graft material can be a bone stimulating and / or osteoconductive implant with differential bioresorption. In some embodiments, the bone graft material substantially comprises BAG fibers.

  In one embodiment, the bone graft material is composed of compositional and manufacturing variables such as bioactive glass fiber content, structural characteristics, as well as diameter, size, shape and surface properties of the bioactive glass fiber. ) And the inclusion of additional additives such as tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, etc., can be selectively determined. By selectively controlling such manufacturing changes, such as porosity, bioabsorbability, tissue and / or cell penetration, calcium bioavailability, flexibility, strength, compressibility, etc. Artificial bone graft materials having a selectable degree of properties can be provided. These and other features of the disclosed bone graft materials are described in more detail below.

Bioactive glass for use in bone grafting material, 45S5 (46.1 mol% SiO _2, 26.9 mol% CaO, 24.4 mole% Na ₂ O and 2.5 mol% P ₂ O _5), 58S (60 mol% SiO ₂ , 36 mol% CaO and 4 mol% P ₂ O ₅ ), S70C30 (70 mol% SiO ₂ , 30 mol% CaO), etc. Of course, a silicon-free (non-silicon) bioactive glass may be used.
For example, a bioactive glass composition that is free of SiO ₂ (not containing SiO ₂ ) and has boron instead of silicon can also be used. Bone graft materials have specific desired properties such as increased radiopacity (eg, by incorporating strontium), slow or fast dissolution rates in the body, surface texturing, etc. May be tailored to have

  The bone graft material can serve as a scaffold for bone activity within the bone defect. The scaffold material used for bone grafting may be a bioactive glass, for example 45S5 glass, which can be both osteoconductive and bone stimulating. As determined by the applicant, the bioactive glass may naturally have antibacterial properties due to the presence of sodium in the composition of the material. The vast surface area provided by the fibrous bone graft material of the present invention allows the antibacterial benefits of using this material.

  The bone graft material of the present disclosure can be flexible and moldable, or can be preformed to mimic, augment, or replace a particular shaped structure. For example, the bone graft material can be formed into an acetabular cup or other component modeled on a skeleton used in surgery. The bone graft material can also be formed into any clinically useful shape such as strips, blocks, wedges, and the like. As explained in more detail below, this shape can be applied to the clinical application of a fibrous material by molding or simply by cutting, tearing, folding, separating. Molded into desired form.

  In the embodiment, the bone graft material is formed from bioactive glass fibers, and the fibers may be manufactured to have a predetermined cross-sectional diameter if necessary. The fibers may be formed, for example, by electro-spinning or laser spinning in order to always produce a constant fiber. In some embodiments, the bone graft material may be formed from a uniform diameter fiber scaffold. Further, the bioactive glass fibers may be formed to have various diameters and / or cross-sectional shapes and may be drawn as a hollow tube. Further, the fibers can be mesh, woven, intertangled, etc. to provide a wide variety of shapes.

  For example, a bioactive glass fiber bone graft material manufactured so that each fiber is juxtaposed or out of alignment is created by the random relationship of individual glass fibers within the material. The large amount of voids created can result in a bone graft material having the appearance of glass wool or “cotton balls”. Such manufacture allows the bone graft material to be soft or flexible throughout so that the surgeon can manually shape the material into the desired overall shape to meet the surgical or anatomical requirements of a particular patient's surgical procedure. (pliable) texture can be achieved. Such materials also include, for example, bioactive glass particles, antimicrobial fibers, particulate agents such as trace elements or metals such as copper (which is a highly vascularized metal), strontium, magnesium, zinc, mineral calcium source It is also easy to incorporate additives that are randomly dispersed throughout the bone graft material, such as (mineralogical calcium sources). Furthermore, bioactive glass fibers are organic acids (eg formic acid, hyaluronic acid, etc.), mineral calcium sources (eg tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, calcium sulfate, etc.), antibacterial agents, antiviral agents, vitamins, radiopaque. It may be coated with x-ray opacifiers, or other such materials.

The bone graft material may be artificially created from fibers having various resorption rates. The absorption rate of the fiber can be determined or controlled by its material composition and its diameter. The material composition results in a product of slow reaction versus fast reaction. Similarly, small diameter fibers can be absorbed faster than large diameter fibers. Also, the overall porosity of the material can affect the absorption rate.
A material with a high porosity means that there is little material to remove for the cells. Conversely, a material with a low porosity means that the cells need to do more work and take up slower absorption. Thus, the bone graft material may include fibers having an appropriate material composition as well as a diameter for any performance. Different fiber combinations may be included in the material to achieve the desired result.

As with bioactive glass fibers, inclusion of bioactive glass particles is achieved using particles having a wide range of dimensions and shapes, and can include rough surfaces, very large surface areas, and the like.
For example, the particles may be tailored to include interior lumens with perforations so that the surface inside the particles can be exposed. Such particles will be absorbed more rapidly, and the material made will be characterized by different absorbency. Perforated or porous particles may be characterized, for example, by a uniform diameter or a uniform pore size. The porosity provided by the particles may be considered as a secondary range of porosity suitable for bone graft materials or implants formed from bone graft materials. By changing the dimensions, transverse diameter, surface texture, and morphology of the fibers and particles of the bioactive glass, the manufacturer, if included, can function the material before and after implantation in the patient. Has the ability to provide a bioactive glass bone graft material with selectively alterable features that can significantly affect Nano- and macro-sized pores provide excellent fluid soak and retention capabilities, which increase bioactivity and correspondingly the repair process.

  1A and 1B show a fibrous scaffold 10 of a first embodiment according to the present disclosure. The scaffold 10 is comprised of a plurality of intertwined fibers 15 that define a three-dimensional porous support scaffold or matrix 10. The support matrix 10 is composed of bioactive glass fibers 15 that are intertwined or interwoven but not necessarily fused at their intersections 17. Thus, at least some of the fibers 15 may move relative to each other with a degree of freedom, resulting in an essentially dynamic support web 10. The composition of the fibers 15 used as struts 19 of the resulting dynamic fibrous scaffold 10 are typical bioactive glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic formulations, with various fiber diameters. And within the construct size, the scaffold fiber 15 is generally characterized by having bioactive properties.

  The diameters of the fibers 15 defining the dynamic scaffold 10 may be several in order to make the scaffold 10 more rigid, if necessary, without sintering, fusing, or otherwise attaching the fibers 15 at their intersections 15. Such fusion or attachment may be used, but is typically significantly smaller to allow the inherent entanglement of the resulting three-dimensional scaffold 10 itself. Thus, while the scaffold 10 is self-constrained so as not to be completely disjointed, the scaffold 10 has its dynamic properties so as to remain flexible while providing sufficient support for tissue formation and subsequent growth. For application, the individual fibers 15 defining the support struts 19 are free to move with respect to each other by a short distance. Furthermore, the availability of nano-sized fibers can significantly increase the surface area available for cell attachment and reactivity.

  As described in detail below, the plurality of fibers 15 characterized by having a diameter of substantially less than 1 micrometer (1000 nanometers) is characterized by having a diameter of substantially less than 100 nanometers. As with the attached fibers 15, it is sufficient to form a dynamic scaffold 10. The scaffold 10 may also be composed of a plurality of fibers 15 having various diameter distributions, the combination of diameters being dynamic flexibility, structural support, internal void size. It is used to generate specific combinations such as void distribution, compressibility, dissolution rate and absorption rate. For example, some fibers 15 may be resorbed quickly and rapidly into the bone to induce early bone growth. Furthermore, the remaining material of the bone graft material, such as other fibers 15 or particles, may be designed to be absorbed over a longer period of time and continue to support bone growth after the previously absorbed material is gone. If the surgical site does not heal well after the first burst of bone growth activity, this type of layered or graded resorption will be clinically important. By providing different levels of absorption to occur, the material can allow better control over the healing process and avoid an “all or nothing” situation.

  Typically, the fiber diameter within a structure ranges from a nano level, where nanofibers are defined as fibers with a diameter of less than 1 micron (submicron) and about 100 microns or less. More typically, the fiber diameter varies from about 0.005 microns to about 10 microns, and more typically, the fiber diameter varies from about 0.05 microns to about 6 microns, Even more typically, the fiber diameter varies from 0.5 microns to about 20 microns, and more typically, the fiber diameter varies from about 1 micron to about 6 microns. In all cases, a predetermined amount of larger fibers may be added as needed to alter one or more characteristics of the resulting scaffold 10. As the amount of smaller (typically less than 10 micrometers) diameter fibers 15 decreases and many of the scaffolding constructs 10 include relatively larger diameter fibers 15, the entire structure 10 becomes It should be noted that typically the self-binding tends to decrease. Therefore, by changing the relative diameter and aspect ratio of the constituent fibers 15, the resulting scaffold structure 10 has a high or low flexibility and a high or low load bearing stiffness ( It may be adjusted to have load-bearing rigidity). Furthermore, the fibers 15 may be configured with specific dimensions, eg, nanoscale, to significantly increase the surface area available for cell attachment and reactivity. In certain embodiments, the bone graft material includes at least one nanofiber.

  One factor that affects the mechanism of the dynamic scaffold 10 is the incorporation of relatively small diameter fibers 15 and the resulting implant 20. The porous fiber scaffold 10 can be formed in a variety of ways that result in an interlocking, entangled, oriented three-dimensional fiber implant 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the fibers 15 do not necessarily have to be continuous, may be short and discontinuous, or may be a combination of long continuous fibers 15 and short discontinuous fibers 15. The fibers 15 come into contact to define the intersections 17 and further define the pores or voids 37. By changing the fiber dimensions and the mode of interaction, not only the pore size distribution of the resulting implant can be controlled. This allows control of the total porosity of the implant (less than about 95% or more) as well as control of the pore size and distribution, and is nano (less than about 1 micron, about 100 nanometers). Small or smaller pore diameter), micro (pore diameter of about 1 to about 10 microns), meso (pore diameter of about 10 to about 100 microns), and macro (greater than about 100 microns and about 1 mm) The material can be formed with a predetermined pore size (or a larger pore diameter). The pores 37 typically vary in the size range of about 100 nanometers to about 1 mm depending on the selected formation technique as well as the pore size and pore size distribution, the selected fiber size range and the function of the size distribution. To do. However, the fibers and pore sizes are not limited to these ranges, and this description focuses on nanofibers and nanopores, but the disclosed bone graft materials are macro-sized fibers and fines. It will be appreciated that the pores are equally included to create a range of fiber and pore diameters.

  An example of the effect of one distribution of pore sizes within a typical implant 20 and its volumetric and surface area contributions is shown with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B, Is further described below. Thus, the resulting implant or device 20 was formed through a spunlaid or spun blown process, a melt blown process, a wet matt or “glass texture” process, etc. It may be a non-woven fabric, and may be formed so as to have characteristics such as felt, gauze, cotton ball, and cotton candy.

  Typically, macro, meso, and micropores occur simultaneously in device 20, and more typically they are interconnected. Those skilled in the art can easily characterize pores using various techniques such as mercury intrusion porosimetry, helium pycnometry, scanning electron microscopy, etc. There is no need to over-quantify each type of hole. Characterizing device 20 as having a significant degree of a particular type of pores requires more than fewer pores in the desired size range, but the specific number or percentage Not required. Rather, qualitative assessments by those skilled in the art will be used to determine macro, meso, micro, and / or nanopores. In some embodiments, the overall porosity of the porous fibrous implant 20 will be relatively high when measured in terms of pore volume and generally expressed as a percentage. A pore volume of 0 percent refers to a completely or theoretically dense material. In other words, a zero porosity material does not have any pores. Similarly, a 100 percent pore volume will indicate “all pores” or air. Those skilled in the art are familiar with the concept of pore volume and could easily calculate and apply it.

  The bone graft implant 20 typically has a pore volume greater than about 30%, and more typically may have a pore volume greater than about 50% or 60%, or daily May be routinely attainable. In some embodiments, the scaffold implant 20 may have a pore volume of at least about 70%, and in other embodiments, have a pore volume greater than about 75% or 80%. Also good. The bone graft implant may be prepared to have a pore volume greater than about 90% to 97%.

  For some bone graft implants 20 it is advantageous to have a porosity gradient that includes macro, meso, and micropores, and in some cases nanopores. In other words, the implant 20 can have a pore gradient such that not only the placement of the pores but also the size of the pores varies throughout the implant 20. When the bone graft implant 20 is moist, the fiber and particle combination to create the proper compression resistance and flexibility is maintained. The bone graft implant 20 can also typically be characterized by interconnected pores, which are associated with increased capillary action and wicking capability. Such a bone graft implant 20 must be able to quickly wick and hold liquid material for sustained release over time.

  The fibers 15 typically provide a slight flexibility and movement of the scaffold 10 in response to changes in the environment, such as physiological fluctuations, cell pressure differences, fluid dynamics within the pulsating healing environment, etc. It has non-fused linkages 35. This in vivo environment can or will change over the course of the healing process and will last for months or even longer. The scaffold 10 typically retains its proper support properties and pore distribution 37 throughout the healing process so that the healing mechanism is not inhibited. During the healing process, the holes 37 defined by the entangled fibers 15 matrix may help carry body fluid and bone graft material to the site of new bone growth. The liquid also slowly dissolves the fibers 15 formed from bioactive glass or the like so that the scaffold 10 and especially the pores 37 change size and shape in a dynamic response to the healing process.

The scaffold 10 typically has a three-dimensional microstructure that is sufficiently permeable to cells, small molecules, proteins, physiological fluids, blood, bone marrow, oxygen, etc., and flows over the entire volume of the scaffold 10. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the scaffold 10, granted the ability to respond to micro-environment detection or microenvironment, and the ability to modulate the structure 20 in the micro environment based on factors plus stress and pressure thereto To do.

  Furthermore, the scaffold 10 is typically physically placed within irregularly shaped defects such as voids, holes or tissue planes, such as are usually found in bone, tissue or similar biological sites. And has a sufficient three-dimensional shape to be compatible with the bone graft material or device 20. Device 20 typically undergoes some compression when inserted into a defect while the transmission characteristics of scaffold 10 are maintained. Typically, similar to the placement of the bone void filler, the device 20 stays within 2 mm of the natural tissue within the defect wall.

  A bone graft implant or device 20 formed from the scaffold 10 may appear similar to felt, cotton balls, textile fabrics textile fabrics, gauze, and the like. These forms have not only the ability to carry, attach and contain liquids, proteins, bone marrow aspirates, cells, but also the ability to keep their presence within a significant volume, but not all May not be fully retained, eg, some liquid may be released from the structure when compressed.

  Other advantages of the bone graft implant or device 20 are handling, injectability, placement, minimally invasive injection, site compatibility, while retaining the equivalent of the “parent” microstructure. And their ability to modify or mix the dynamic fibrous scaffold 10 with carriers or modifiers to improve retention and the like. Such a carrier ideally modifies the macroscale handling characteristics of the device 20 while maintaining the microscale (typically on the order of less than 100 micrometers) structure of the scaffold 10. These carriers rapidly (typically in less than about 2 weeks, more typically about 2) without substantially altering the scaffold shape, microstructure, chemical properties and / or bioactive properties. Absorb in less than a day). These carriers include polaxamers, glycerol, alkaline oxide copolymers, bone marrow aspirates and the like.

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of an implant 20 that may be, for example, a strip or sheet. FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of the implant 20 in the form of a three-dimensional structure similar to, for example, a cotton ball.
In one embodiment, a plurality of tangled fibers 15 are spun or blown into a randomly oriented assembly 20 having the general appearance of a cotton ball. The fiber 15 is typically characterized as having a diameter substantially less than about 1000 nm (1 micrometer) in a range of about 10,000 nm (10 micrometers) or less. The resulting cotton ball device 20 can be formed to easy-to-use dimensions, but may typically be formed from about 1 to about 6 centimeters in uncompressed diameter, and about the original dimension. You may compress to 1 / 2-1 / 4. In some cases, the device 20 substantially becomes free when the compressive force is removed (until it is moistened with a liquid to make the device the desired shape and density by such fixation, or vacuum compressed). Return to original dimensions and shape. However, in many cases, device 20 will remain deformed. Structures that vary from “cotton balls” to “cotton candy” by changing the relative diameters of some fibers 15 while changing the fiber diameter range from less than about 10 nm to greater than about 10 microns. A body may be created.

  FIG. 2C shows an embodiment of a mesh-like implant 20, for example made of woven. In some embodiments, the fibers 15 may be woven, knitted, or otherwise shaped into a woven device 20 having a gauze-like consistency. Fiber 15 typically has a diameter greater than about 1 micrometer and may have a diameter greater than about 100 micrometers. Whether the fibers are somewhat or completely regular, the microscale orientation of the fibers 15 is typically random. On a macro scale, the fibers 15 are typically more regular. These device 20 configurations may have altered amounts of small fibers 15 incorporated therein to maintain the self-constraining effect.

3A and 3B illustrate another embodiment of the present disclosure, which is a bioactive fibrous scaffold 110 as described above for FIGS. 1A and 1B, but glass microspheres or particles. 140. The glass particles 140 are typically formed from several common compositions as well as the fibers 115, but may instead be formed from other different compositions. One advantage of the presence of particles 140 within the implant 120 is a contribution to the overall compressive resistance of the implant 120. One function of the implant 120 is typically the absorption and retention of nutrient fluid supplied for bone regeneration, so that the compressive force is applied to the implant so that the fluid is not “squeezed out” prematurely. It is advantageous to provide several levels of resistance to. Particles 140 (which are spheres or particles) harden the implant and are otherwise porous scaffolds consisting of fibers 115 that are primarily intertwined. Particles 140 serves as a pillar (pillar), to cod also structural support to the entire implant 120.

  Glass particles 140 are typically approximately spherical, but may have other regular or irregular shapes. The glass particles 140 typically vary in size, with diameters varying from approximately the width of the fibers 115 (more typically struts 119) to a diameter on the order of magnitude beyond the typical fiber width. Have. If desired, particles 140 may vary in shape from approximately spherical to spheroidal, or from elliptical to irregular shapes. The particles 140 may also be formed as substantially flat platelets, and the platelets (or other shapes) have perforations or internal voids to increase the effective surface area and dissolution rate. And may be molded. Similarly, the shape of the particles 140 may be changed to affect factors such as bone cell attachmen, particle coatability, and the like.

  In certain embodiments, glass particles 140 may have an average diameter of about 20 microns to about 1 millimeter. In another embodiment, particles 140 may have an average diameter of about 300 to 500 microns. In yet another embodiment, the glass particles 140 may have an average diameter of about 350 microns.

Similar to the fiber, the bioactive glass particles 140 are composed of organic acids (eg, formic acid, hyaluronic acid, etc.), mineral calcium sources (eg, tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, calcium sulfate, etc.), antibacterial agents, antiviral agents, vitamins, It may be coated with x-ray opacifiers, or other such materials. Small particles are caught around or within the fibers of intersection 117 located in (lodge) trend, large particles tend to be held in place embedded in the scaffold 120 itself by a web of fibers 115. Pore size globules will tend to trap within the pores 137.

  The glass microparticles 140 may be composed of a predetermined bioactive material, and the scaffold 110 is removed from the body (in vitro) so as to release a predetermined selection of minerals, bone growth media, etc. at a predetermined rate. Can be adjusted to dissolve over a predetermined period of time. Adjust the absorption rate of the bioactive glass and adjust the rate at which minerals etc. are introduced into the body (also how long the particles 140 can be used to provide the scaffold implant 20 with increased compression resistance) In order to do so, the composition, dimensions, and shape of the glass particles 140 may be changed. For example, for a given bioactive glass composition and particle volume, irregularly shaped particles 140 will have a larger surface area than spherical particles 140 and will therefore dissolve more rapidly.

  Furthermore, the glass particles 140 are bioactive glasses, polymers filled with a specific mixture of pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, antiviral agents, vitamins, etc. to be released around the bone regeneration site at a predetermined rate and for a predetermined period of time. It may be a hollow small sphere. Release rate and duration of release will be not only a function of particle size, pores and wall thickness, but also their distribution function.

  As mentioned above, the shape and texture of the bone graft material can be randomly configured to maximize the overall volume, surface area and flexibility, or quite symmetrically from bioactive glass fibers, for example Can be manufactured in a stiffer and uniform arrangement, such as mesh or matrix type assemblies. In the mesh or matrix assembly, as illustrated in the non-limiting example illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C, the glass fibers are arranged in a stacked arrangement that limits flexibility in a directional manner. Or the fibers can be layered with alternating layers intersecting each other. In FIG. 4A, the matrix assembly 110 is shown as having an ordered configuration with discrete layers comprising fibers 115 and particles 140. In FIG. 4B, the matrix assembly is shown having a randomly arranged configuration of fibers 115 and particles 140. In FIG. 4C, the matrix assembly 110 is shown having a configuration in which the layers have different pores due to differences in the spacing between the fibers 115 and the particles 140 throughout each layer. That is, due to non-uniformly spaced fibers 115 and particles 140, the size of the pores 137 varies across the matrix assembly. For purposes of illustrating the concepts herein, FIGS. 4A-4C show discretely aligned fibers 115, but the individual layers of material 110 are randomly arranged without being organized. It should be understood that fibers 115 and particles 140 may be included.

  An advantage of the present disclosure is a wide variety of alternative configurations and structural arrangements that provide similarly altered functionality of materials used by surgeons. As illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C, the bone graft material of the present disclosure can include bioactive glass particles embedded within a bioactive glass fiber structure. Inclusion of particles as determined by the amount, size, and particle characteristics can affect the compressibility, bioabsorbability and porosity of the resulting bone graft material. Additional additives such as calcium phosphate (CaP), calcium sulfate (CaS), hydroxyapatite (HA), carboxymethycellulose (CMC), collagen, glycerin, gelatin to aid bone formation and patient recovery Can be included in any of the modified structures of bioactive glass fiber bone graft material. Such additives may be 0 to 90 percent porous. Another additive, collagen, may be included and may be of a superporous type with 98 percent or less pores.

In some embodiments, the surface area of the bone graft material, Ru is maximized to enhance bone ingrowth into the structural matrix of the material. Another useful variable is that of different pores (for example nano, micro, meso and macropores) to act as a cell filter that controls the depth at which selected cells penetrate into the material. The performance of bone graft materials that are selectively and configured to provide multiple layers. The preparation of the bone graft material can be selectively modified to include bioactive glass fibers and / or particles having different cross-sectional diameters, shapes and / or compositions, so that a bone graft material with differential absorbency can be obtained. Material properties can be adjusted to produce. This feature allows the surgeon to select a bone graft material for a particular situation or patient need. By controlling the speed of bone ingrowth into the bioactive glass matrix of the material, the surgeon has almost unlimited flexibility in selecting a bone graft material suitable for the specific needs of the individual patient. it is Ru can be.

  In another embodiment, the bioactive glass was formulated with partial replacement of calcium with strontium. Partial replacement of calcium with strontium produces a bioactive glass with reduced absorption / reaction rate and further increased radiation concentration or radiopacity. Thus, the bioactive glass also provides an X-ray target that remains in the body for an extended period of time and is more easily visible.

In another embodiment, silver (or other antimicrobial material) can be incorporated into the structural matrix of the bioactive glass fiber scaffold. Silver is antimicrobial material, Ru enhances the inherent antibacterial bioactive glass materials. Typically, silver is added as a dopant to the very thin bioactive glass fibers so that the very thin fibers dissolve at the implantation site and silver is released immediately, and the silver acts as an antimicrobial agent. Can prevent infections immediately after surgery, while the rest of the scaffold material does its job. Alternatively, Ag may be introduced as a fiber and combined with the bioactive glass fiber, or may be introduced as a particle similar to the glass particles described above, or otherwise. Of course, to create an alkaline (8-10 high pH) glass, the composition of the bioactive glass forming the fiber could be changed to provide a material with antibacterial performance.

  One advantage of the present invention is that it is dynamic and can be easily molded into various shapes or forms without losing the basic structure and pores. By packaging the material in a functional tray, the tray now acts as a mold and can provide the material in various shapes within the operating room. In particular, the material becomes a cohesive mass when blood, saline, bone marrow, other natural body fluids, and the like are added.

  In certain embodiments, the bone graft material is provided as part of a surgical kit 200, as shown in FIGS. 5A-5C. Kit 200 has a set of recesses or indentations 212, more typically nested recesses, and a tray for storing, holding and manipulating bone grafts 10, 110. Part 210 and lid part 220 for sealingly fitting into tray part 210. The tray portion 210 and the lid portion 220 are typically formed from a thermoplastic material, but may alternatively be made from any convenient material.

The deep recess or indentation 212 typically has a simple shape, such as a rectangular block or wedge shape, so that the bone graft material so-loaded has a simple shape as well. ing. Other shapes are described in co-pending and co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/914376 filed Oct. 28, 2010 under the name “Dynamic Active Bone Grafting Materials and Handling Methods” That disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

  The bone graft material 10, 110 is typically provided as an intertwined or woven bioactive glass fiber mass. The bioactive glass fiber may be provided in a format ready to be surgically placed in a bony cavity (eg, a woven or mesh format), or the bioactive glass fiber Prior to deployment requiring the addition of liquids such as saline, glycerol, gelatin, plasma, or collagen gels or chips to help render the mass more flexible and structurally unitary May be provided in a manner that requires additional preparation (eg, a looser entanglement format). Such a liquid may optionally be included in the kit package 200 or may be provided separately.

  In one embodiment, a kit 200 is provided that includes a tray body 210 and a lid 200 that can be fitted into the tray body. The tray body 210 includes one or more recesses 212 for containing the volume of the bioactive glass fiber 10. The volume of bioactive glass fiber may be woven, knitted, intertwined, or provided as a loose stack. The volume of the bioactive glass fiber can optionally include fibers of other compositions, such as antimicrobial silver, polymers, or alternative glass compositions, and can optionally include particulate material or the same bioactive glass composition. Or alternative compositions such as alternative glasses, metals, metal oxides, pharmaceuticals, nutrients, and / or antimicrobial agents. The kit may also optionally include a liquid such as saline or collagen gel for mixing with the volume of bioactive glass.

  In operation, the surgeon removes the lid 220 of the kit 200 and removes the included portion of the bioactive glass material 10. The surgeon may then shape and size the bioactive glass material for insertion into the bone cavity. In order to achieve the desired degree of flexibility and / or structural integrity, this process involves adding an appropriate liquid, such as saline, collagen gel, plasma, blood, etc., to the bioactive glass material. May include. Once the bioactive glass material has been formed to the desired size and shape, it is inserted into the bone cavity. This process can be performed as a single operation or as a series of steps.

6A and 6B show the volumetric and surface area contributions of an embodiment of a bone graft material based on pore size distribution. As described, in certain embodiments, the bone graft material of the implant 20 has a structure with various porosity, such as nano, micro-meso, micro-porosity, for example. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, mesopores and micropores contribute to the bulk of the bone graft material, whereas nanopores represent a significant portion of the surface area provided by the bone graft material. to contribute to. That is, to obtain a higher surface higher for a given volume, embodiments may utilize a porosity distribution that includes nanopores for a given volume. Of course, embodiments may provide these and other features and advantages.

  FIG. 7 is a time-lapse micrograph after 1 day and 3 days after immersion of the fiber of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in a simulated body fluid at 37 ° C., while FIG. 8 shows the fiber of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention. Is a time-lapse micrograph after 3 days of immersion in a simulated body fluid at 37 ° C.

  FIG. 9 is a series of time-lapse electron micrographs (SEMs) showing osteoblasts cultured for 2, 4, and 6 days on a glass fiber scaffold of the present disclosure. As shown, the cell density increases during the 6 day incubation. FIG. 10 is a graph of osteoblast proliferation shown in the glass fiber scaffold of FIG. 9 at day 2, 4 and 6 after initial seeding of 100,000 MC3T3-E1 cells per scaffold. Is shown. FIG. 11 shows a photomicrograph of the fibers seeded with mesenchymal stem cells. Such cells can support the bone stimulating effect of osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. This effect can be measured based on the measurement of DNA content and the presence of elevated levels of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase.

<Comparison animal experiment>
12-14 show the results of testing mammals (specifically rabbits in this case) of embodiments of the disclosed fibrous bone graft material of the present invention. In the test, a bilateral distal femoral bone defect having a diameter of about 5 mm and a length of 10 mm was created. In addition to the bone graft material embodiment of the present disclosure, a commercial bone graft substitute Product # 1 was also tested in this comparative study. Product # 1 is a silicate substitute bone graft material (ACTIFUSE ™ available from ApaTech, Foxborough, Mass.). During research, the bone graft material of the present disclosure can induce a more dynamic bone growth response and more physiological than when using conventional synthetic bone graft materials. It was observed to result in bone healing and remodeling. At 6 months, most of the substrate was absorbed, with evidence of bone remodeling at the surgical site. Furthermore, the bone tissue appeared to be integrated with the surrounding bone.

  From this study, FIG. 12 shows a series of X-ray images from tests performed comparing the performance of the bone graft material embodiment and product 1 at 6, 12, and 24 weeks.

  FIG. 13 shows a graphical comparison of the percentage of new bone present after 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks in a bone graft material embodiment and product during a comparative study.

  FIG. 14 shows a graphical comparison of the percentage of residual material after 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks in product 1 and embodiment of bone graft material during a comparative study.

Table 1 below shows the average ultimate compressive strength ( Newton: N ) and average maximum compressive stress (average) at 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks for the fibrous material and product 1 of the present disclosure. The ultimate compressive stress ( Kilo Pascal: KPa ) is shown in comparison with natural bone without surgery. As can be seen, the tested bone graft material embodiments exhibit mechanical properties much more similar to natural bone than product 1.

  Furthermore, histological evaluation at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks, the growth of new bone appeared to be more normal in bone graft embodiments than with Product 1. For example, even when the amount of new bone growth was the same in both the bone grafting embodiment and Product 1, the quality of growth was different. In the bone grafting embodiment, the microfibers are fully absorbed and replace normal healthy bones that have begun remodeling to accommodate physiological loads. Also, bone graft embodiments showed uniform and well distributed cell growth throughout. Product 1 showed local growth similar to bone deposition. At 24 weeks or 6 months, the bone deposit of Product 1 appeared to have broken down into fibrous tissue growth. Conversely, at 24 weeks or 6 months, almost all of the remaining fibers of the bone graft embodiment were covered with new cells and there was evidence of new blood vessels formed. In other words, the normal structure of healthy bone has already appeared in bone graft embodiments. Thus, histological images support bone remodeling that is believed to have already occurred at this point.

  Although the disclosed bone graft material has been described for use in bone grafting, the disclosed graft material is also considered applicable to soft tissue and cartilage repair as well. Accordingly, the applications of the fibrous graft material provided herein can include a variety of medical applications, particularly where it is desired to form new connective tissue.

While the disclosure of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in nature. It is understood that the embodiments are illustrated and described in the above specification to satisfy best mode requirements and enablement requirements. Those skilled in the art can readily make an almost infinite number of minor changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments, and it is not realistic to attempt to describe all such variations of these embodiments herein. It is understood. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications within the spirit of the present disclosure are desired to be protected.
Note that the disclosure content of the present specification may include the following aspects.
(Aspect 1)
A bone graft material comprising bioactive glass fibers disposed in a porous matrix that can be molded into a desired shape for implantation,
The bone graft material is substantially free of additives, and at least one of the fibers is a nanofiber.
(Aspect 2)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material further includes particles.
(Aspect 3)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes at least nanopores.
(Aspect 4)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes at least micropores.
(Aspect 5)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes at least mesopores.
(Aspect 6)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes at least macropores.
(Aspect 7)
The bone according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes a combination of at least two pores selected from the group consisting of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. Transplant material.
(Aspect 8)
The bone according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes a combination of at least two pores selected from the group consisting of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. Transplant material.
(Aspect 9)
The bone according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes a combination of at least three pores selected from the group consisting of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. Transplant material.
(Aspect 10)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes a combination of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores.
(Aspect 11)
A bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous matrix comprises at least 95% pores before being shaped for implantation.
(Aspect 12)
The bone graft material according to aspect 1, wherein the porous base material includes at least 80% pores after being molded for transplantation.
(Aspect 13)
A bone graft implant comprising a base material comprising a plurality of overlapping and intertwined bioactive glass fibers and having dispersed pores based on various pores provided within the bioactive glass fibers, The bone graft implant, wherein the dispersed pores include macropores, mesopores, and micropores, and the base material can be formed into a desired shape for implantation into a patient.
(Aspect 14)
The bone graft implant according to aspect 1, wherein the dispersed pores further include nanopores.
(Aspect 15)
2. The bone graft implant according to aspect 1, wherein the dispersed pores are based on a plurality of particles dispersed throughout the matrix in addition to the glass fibers.
(Aspect 16)
16. The bone graft implant of aspect 15, wherein the particle comprises a lumen with perforations that provide additional plurality of pores to the dispersed pores.
(Aspect 17)
The bone graft implant according to aspect 14, wherein the combination of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores is dispersed based on a gradient across the matrix.
(Aspect 18)
The bone graft implant of aspect 13, wherein the gradient of pores is configured to variably affect resorption of a portion of the bone graft implant.
(Aspect 19)
The bone graft implant according to aspect 1, wherein the base material comprises at least 30% pores.
(Aspect 20)
The bone graft implant according to aspect 1, wherein the matrix is configured with at least 95% pores before being molded into the desired shape.
(Aspect 21)
The bone graft implant according to aspect 1, wherein the base material is configured to have at least 80% pores after being formed into the desired shape.

Claims (21)

Flexible comprising a plurality of overlapping and entangled bioactive glass fibers and bioactive glass particles dispersed throughout the bioactive glass fibers to increase the compression resistance of the porous matrix and provide structural support the sex of the porous matrix to a bone graft material made Nde including,
The bioactive glass fibers have various diameters and various absorption rates, and the bioactive glass particles have various diameters and various absorption rates so that the matrix constitutes stepwise absorption. ,
The matrix is a bone graft material in which the bioactive glass fibers that are intertwined and entangled can move together through a healing process .   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix includes at least nanopores.   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix includes at least micropores.   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix includes at least mesopores.   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix includes at least macropores.   The bone of claim 1, wherein the porous matrix comprises a combination of at least two pores selected from the group consisting of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. Transplant material.   The bone of claim 1, wherein the porous matrix comprises a combination of at least three pores selected from the group consisting of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores. Transplant material.   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix includes a combination of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores.   The bone graft material according to claim 1, wherein the porous matrix is formed in a shape suitable for implantation. 10. The bone graft material of claim 9 , wherein the porous matrix comprises at least 95% pores before being formed for implantation. The bone graft material of claim 9 , wherein the porous matrix comprises at least 80% pores after being formed for implantation. A plurality of bioactive glass fibers entangled overlapping, porous matrix the bioactive glass fibers entire distributed the bioactive glass particles, the including soluble to provide the allowed and structural support increase the compression resistance of A bone graft implant comprising a flexible porous matrix,
The porous matrix further has dispersed pores based on various pores provided in the bioactive glass fiber ,
The bioactive glass fibers have various diameters and various absorption rates, and the bioactive glass particles have various diameters and various absorption rates so that the matrix constitutes stepwise absorption. ,
The dispersed pores include macropores, mesopores, and micropores,
Further, the matrix is a bone graft implant in which the bioactive glass fibers that are entangled can move together through a healing process . The bone graft implant according to claim 12 , wherein the dispersed pores further include nanopores. 13. The bone graft implant according to claim 12 , wherein the dispersed pores are based on a plurality of particles dispersed throughout the matrix in addition to the glass fibers. 13. The bone graft implant of claim 12 , wherein the particles include a lumen with perforations that provide additional pores to the dispersed pores. 14. The bone graft implant of claim 13 , wherein a combination of nanopores, macropores, mesopores, and micropores are dispersed based on a gradient across the matrix. The bone graft implant of claim 12 , wherein the pore gradient is configured to variably affect resorption of a portion of the bone graft implant. The bone graft implant of claim 12 , wherein the matrix is configured with at least 30% pores. 13. The bone graft implant of claim 12 , wherein the matrix is configured with at least 95% pores prior to forming into the suitable shape. 13. The bone graft implant of claim 12 , wherein the matrix is configured with at least 80% pores after being formed into the suitable shape. Flexible, porous entangled bioactive glass fibers and bioactive glass particles dispersed throughout the bioactive glass fibers to increase the compression resistance of the bone graft implant and provide structural support A bone graft implant comprising a quality matrix,
  The bioactive glass fibers have various diameters and various absorption rates, and the bioactive glass particles have various diameters and various absorption rates so that the matrix constitutes stepwise absorption. ,
Further, the matrix is a bone graft implant in which the bioactive glass fibers can move relative to each other through a healing process, and the porous matrix has a structure similar to a natural fibrotic mass.

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